Kanu: We know no other president but Uhuru Kenyatta

Kanu leaders Samburu West MP-elect Naisula Lesuuda (left), secretary general Nick Salat (centre), and Samburu Woman Representative Maison Leshoomo (second right) address journalists in Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Independence party Kanu has thrown its weight behind President Uhuru Kenyatta and dismissed NASA’s planned petition as a waste of time. 

The leaders, who included secretary general Nick Salat, said Uhuru was fairly elected and said the Opposition plan to challenge the outcome of last week’s election was a tactic to delay his swearing in.

Speaking in Nairobi after a meeting of those elected on Kanu tickets, Samburu Woman Representative Maison Leshoomo said: “As far as we are concerned, Kenya’s president is Uhuru Kenyatta.”

Leshoomo, who spoke on behalf of the group, said NASA’s decision to challenge the outcome of the presidential election results should have come ‘a long time ago’.

“The truth, as pronounced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), will still come out even if they go to court,” she said.

She added: “Let it be known we can only have one president at a time. Why did they take so long to go to court? We hope they are not just out to delay the swearing-in ceremony.

“We are supporting the President because we are convinced he won the elections fairly and Kanu is ready to work with him.”

During the meeting, Leshoomo was elected Kanu parliamentary group chairman while Tiaty MP-elect William Kamket will be the chief whip.

“We have resolved as a party that just like we supported President Uhuru for before, we will support him fully in his next five year term. We will support the president until he completes his second term,” said Kamket.

Salat said the leaders had met to know one another and chart the way forward. “We are preparing our MPs for various positions in the House. They have expressed an interest in the various committees.

“We needed to get things up and running, that is why we met to choose a chief whip and other officials in Parliament,” said Salat.

Others present were Samburu West MP-elect Naisula Lesuuda and Baringo Woman Representative Gladwell Jesire.

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